Traffic control device



Nov; 22, 1932. l

E. M. GREENLEE 1,888,590

TRAFFIOCONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 18, 1951 fl/.f/

INVENTOR WIM Y el J ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 272i',

p UNITED STAT'Esj lEnr n, GREENLEE, or NEWPORT, iIENTCKr, AssIGNoR oEfONE-EOURTETO OEvIItE,

W. HOUSE, OE WILLIAIvIsI'oET, or/Iro, ANDoNE,-rOri-'afinaA To CoH'ENyOE;

CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND ONE-Hear` To Iran-nv II'. MARTIN, OE oo'vINGfTofN, KEN- TUCKY, AND' GEORGE W. sH'UEY, OF CINCINNATI; OIIIO TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE Application 1ed November 18, 1931. Serial No. 575,866.`

. ,This invention relates to traiiic `control and is particularly directed to an improvement 1n traiiicv signal display devices of the type adapted to be placed on the street at the intersection of side streets with arterial highways, at railroad crossings, and arterial highway crossings, or any place in the street where a traflic signal is required.` The devices are conventionally applied directly lto the surface of the street and are located, in most instances, centrally of the width ,of the street for the passage of traflic at either side thereof and facing the `trafic to be directed at a position for displaying to the motorist the desired words suchr as Stop, Slow, Danger, etc.

It is an object of this inventionto provideV an improved signal display device of" the above describedcharacter which is o f heavy rugged durable `construction and which dis,- plays the trafic control inslgnia or warning at an angle considerably toward the upright,

whereby it may be readily observed 'from a considerable distance by an approaching motorist, and to further provide that, in the event of the vehicle wheels being driven over the device from any angle, the display means will yield or collapse toward the plane of the street momentarily under the car tread without damage to the car or the traflio display device. Y

It is another object of this invention to provide a traic signal display device of the described nature in which the mounting of.

the movable display element is extremely Vsubstantial and the shock of impact in case the device is struck by traiiic is preferably taken up by jthe frame without undue stress or strain on the parts which might tend to break the device, and moreover to provide for this purpose that the collapsible or depressible display element is fully receivable within the confines of the frame. Y

Itis a stillfurther object-to provide that other signals may be incorporated in the device for display in the direction opposite to the main signal. p

Other-objects and certain advantages will be more fully apparent from a description of the vaccompanying drawing,- iir which:

Vfastening devices.

.Y Figure lis a perspective'view 4ofthe I pro-ved ,traffic control device.

' Figure. 2 is a: sectional l view taken on line ,Q -2, Figure l, illustrating themountingof.

the springs controlling the signal,y display element and the pivotal mounting ofthe display element. y Y l 1 4 Figure Sis a front View ofthe device taken partly inrsection for-,illustrating the retaini i ing pins Vfor the display element. .y Y A Figuretis a sectional'view 'taken similar comprises, a stationary frame 5 adapted to be,

secured tothe surface of the street anda inovablesignal display element@ mounted in the frame and adapted tonormally assumea,

position wherein the signal-is ,readily visiblev and in the line ofvision of the approaching' motorist, and; which element is free` to as-V` sume a recumbentposition not dangerously passage of avehicle ,over

obstructive to ,the the device.

VThe'frame of the deviceis constructed` so as to entirely receive the movable display elei ment within its confines.

playelementis pivoted at its forward edge" 'I Vwithin a recess 7` in theframeand depresses:

against springs S, under the action'of Weight from above,

event that a Vmotorist; drive overthe device.'

to be received within the reces`s. Y The total height of the frame is not great, the purpose being to prevent any damage Yto the device or the car passing over the same in the" should Vaccidentally "The frame is cast'of' metal and is of ribbedy construction internally. Y Attaching flangesv 9 areincluded at the respectiv frame and thes'ejlanges are chorage means such as boltsll orany other includes a centrally .and transverselyy dise` ends of the provided` with countersunk apertures l0 for receivingan-f The interior of the y:frame posed vertical rib l2 and `crossribs l3.con;

necting the forwardandrear margins of the* frame to the `central rib. The frame is inclined from a central point to `eachside for Y eliminating any sharp orV abrupt obstruction in the street. Y At the forward side of the device and included withinone lsloping portion thereof, the recess 7 is provided within whichrecess the signal display element 6 is mounted. The

signal display line is of a size toit snugly within thev recess of the frame. Moreover, the signaldisplay element at all time's'including its normal display position remains in positions closing the y recess whereby it is impossible for dbris of any sort to lodge beneath the movable element and interfere with its operation. ,Y The particular signal is cast in the face of `the' displayelement 6, therword Stop'being included in the present illustration. The letters 14 ofthe word k,are sufliciently embossed or raised on theY face of the element 2Q?. for ready visibility at a Vgreat distance. To

further accentuate the appearancev of the signal, the tops of the letters may be chromium plated and the background or generalsur-face clude'sV a depending flange 15 at its rear edge andsideianges 16 aswell asinterm'ediate cross flanges-17v on its underside.V .This rear flange 15, side flanges 16 and cross flanges-17 39a are arranged Yto Vprovide greater general thickness to the element at the rear edg-e'with a considerable reduction toward the forward edge. A series-of heavy lugs 18'are cast inY the plate fat its forward edge, these lugs func- 36? tioning as pivots kfor the plate. l Within `the recess of the frame vand toward the forward portion thereof, where the cross .ribs join the front margin ofthe frame,- fillets 19 presen-t curved surfaces'. Lugs 20 are pro- 491 vided on vthe cross ribs adjacent the fillets 119,

these lugs l2O havin@ curved surfaces which with thefcurved surfaces 'of the lugs 19, pro- -vide semicircular pivot sockets orseatsfor receiving the pivot lugs 4.6i play plate or element.l Y Y For maintaining the signal display ele)- ment against displacement from within the frame, a inr21 is fixed in the frame at each end of t ie signaldisplay element on the i axis of pivotal movement thereof. lThese pins extend into bores Y v play element.y The bores 22 'are of greater diameter than the pins suicient clearance about the pins, whereby 557 the pivotal Contact of the signal display'element 'in its sockets is assured and there is no :strain or shearing `action on'the retain-f ing pins 21;

The springs 8 arev mounted'beneath the I '3W stop element, one toward each end thereof withinthe recess and are suitably arranged andfanchoredfor exerting an upward pressure V'on the swinging end of the signal display element. Each of these springs consists "G5-' of a length of spring wire having one end element as to its generalV outend by means of lug 2O of the frame, vthe spring fitting of the street, the signal display ofthe display element or plate paintedV black. The signal display element lor -pl'ate in-V of screws 31 -as shown and 18 of the signal dis;

seated in said pivot sockets 22 in the signal dis-y and therefore vafford fork the extended end 26 which bears againstV the underside of the signal display element. j

Y Each spring is eral displacement the coiled portion of between 'these lugs. Normally the springs hold the signal display element in a position toward the vertical orat aneobtuse angle relative to the surface element abutting the frame at this time as element cushioning the shock. imposed there' on when it is Vsuddenly depressed. They bumpers are disclosed in the formfof rubber buttons 29 secured on-the cross ribs` of the maintained against latat its forward or` coiled a lug27 adjacent a socket at 28. In the event that a vehicle wheel rides over the Vdevice, the stop element moves on its pivots', andy the springs compressing to pervmitthe sig-V frame and enga-ged by the underside of the` f cross ribs of the swinging element.

ln order to provide for signals which may"l be observed from the direction'opposite .to the display of the principal signal, a plate 30 may beattached and countersunkV in the opposite sloping signal wordV desired.

Having described 1. In a traiic control device, `a frame, means for securing said fra-me to the surface of the street, said frame including a' recess in the surface thereof, a plate Vmounted in said recess and including the signalv to be displayed, said frame provided withpivot sockets, said plate Yhaving lpivot: lugs vloosely yfor rocking movement therein for Vdisplaying the signal to the approaching motorist, meansfindependent of the lug and socket connections for preventing displacement of the plate from its mounted position in said recess, said inde-1 pendent meansA normally out of contact with the plate, and springs for normally urging th-e plate upwardly on its pivot, said plate to said V,recess whereby', upon the passageof a vehicle .over lthe plate,

arranged relative they plate will be Vdepressed .into there'cess without damage thereto. Y p y 2. In a trafiic control device, a frame, means for attaching the frame to thei suri face of the street, said frameinclu'ding 'a "rey cess in its upper surface, pivot 'sockets in said recess at the forward edge thereof, a sign-al displayplate having the lsignal word on its front surface, said plate having 'its lower end pivotally engaged .in said pivot sockets,

face of the frame by meansy may include anyy my invention, l claim:

las' l otal movement, pms mounted in the frame and extending loosely into said bores, and

springs normally urging the signal display plate into a position of pivotal movement toward an upright position.

3. A traffic signal device, comprising, a frame adapted to be secured to the surface of the street, said frame provided with a recess in its upper surface, a signal display element depressibly mounted in said recess',- means for normally maintaining said signal display element in a position at an obtuse angle relative to the surface of the street, said signal display element closing the entrance to said recess at all times, and said recess Vadapted to fully receive said signal display element Within its confines when said signal display element is engaged by traic.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. Y

ELI M. GREENLEE. 

